COMET electric minibus starts Baguio City test run on Nov. 20

Baguio City is renowned for its diesel-powered public-utility vehicles that can take on steep terrain. Unfortunately, the city has also gained a bad reputation for having the stench of diesel exhausts permeate its once-pristine atmosphere.

But starting November 20, 2022, commuters can get a free ride on a roomier zero-emission PUV that could be just as punchy as but far less pungent than its diesel counterparts.

The city’s public information office announced in a Nov. 11, 2022 Facebook post that it would conduct a 14-day test run of the air-conditioned COMET electric minibus, which can accommodate 18 sitting and 12 standing passengers.

It will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the pick-up and drop-off points only at the Harrison Road loading and unloading area near the Ganza Parking entrance.

The COMET will take the following routes: 

• November 20-26 – Mines View Line

• November 27-December 3 – Aurora Hill Line (CBD) Line

Commuters who want to use the COMET must download and register on the GETPASS app from Google Play Store.

The Baguio City government said the test run is being done with support from the United Nations Development Programme and the Department of Transportation.

Nearly a decade of EV experience

The COMET, which stands for Community Optimized Managed Electric Transport, has been part of the local electric vehicle (EV) scene for nearly a decade.

It is built by Global Electric Transport (GET), which was established in 2013 to provide “practical, affordable, and non-polluting transport solutions designed for the developing world,” according to its official website.

The model used in Baguio is powered by a 53.47-kWh battery pack connected to an electric motor that pumps out 163 PS and 270 Nm. 

GET claims a maximum range of 100 kilometers, with a full charge possible in 30 minutes using a fast-charging system.

The COMET also includes an electric ramp and a slot for wheelchair users, GPS tracking, CCTV cameras, and a programmable speed limit.

Third-generation COMET

The first COMET prototype was launched in 2014 and started operations in Quezon City, Cebu, and Cavite the year after.

The COMET was redeveloped in 2016, and the company partnered with QEV Technologies in 2018 to create the COMET 3, which is currently in use in Quezon City and Davao City.

GET also began the development of the GETPASS app in 2018. 

Initially conceived as an app-based ticketing system, the app also functions as a payment system, a personnel management system, and a contact-tracing system following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Do you think the COMET can shoot for success on the steep roads of the City of Pines?